


The Grand Tour

by the_only_education_worth_having



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Kinda, Marauders, Marauders' Era, Songfic, Unforgivable Curses (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-28 07:33:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11413197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_only_education_worth_having/pseuds/the_only_education_worth_having
Summary: What happened when Sirius arrived at the Potter's on Halloween 1981.





	The Grand Tour

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely based on a song by George Jones.

The street was deserted, all signs of life absent. A faint breeze blew down the street making trees rustle in its wake. It was late so all of the residents in the small street were asleep meaning light from houses were non-existent. The only light came from a street lamp at the other end of the lane and the faint glow of the moon which illuminated the inky black sky. From the sky, a small figure was emerging, getting closer towards the lane. A man on a motorbike descended until his wheels came in contact with the road with a bump. The rumble of the engine slowed and came to a stop as the man parked. Removing his helmet and depositing it in the side car he got off the bike and stood to face a house, an old Tudor style building, with quaint windows and a small garden lined with an old stone wall. It was almost picturesque, if not for the shattered glass and rubble that littered its front lawn. A giant hole had been blown in the front of the house and upon seeing this the man stopped. Staggering back slightly and resting on his bike for support Sirius stared at the house in trepidation. He could feel his heart in his throat and panic overwhelmed him. Composing himself somewhat he dashed forward through the front gate he went up the garden path, stopping as he got to the front door, it was ajar. His breath caught in his chest and fear struck him at his core. Pushing the door slightly, it swung open and he entered. Walking slowly down the hallway he came to a stop in the lounge. It was deserted. Harry’s toys littered the floor but apart from this the room was tidy, nothing was out of place. 

Sirius remember back to one of the last times he'd been here. It had been early on a Saturday morning. He'd spent most of the night before drinking in the Leaky Cauldron and had come, very hungover, to spend some time with his godson and try and convince Lily to cook him some breakfast. He’d let himself in and walked into the living room. James was sat in the armchair and looked up as he entered. “Rough night?” he’d smirked, as Sirius sank onto the couch dramatically and holding his head. Sirius shrugged and settled himself into a lying position.

At this point, Lily swept in, Harry on her hip and the Daily Prophet in her hand. She walked over to James and handed the paper to him as Sirius rose and outstretched his arms, signalling for her to hand Harry to him to which she obliged. With Sirius taking up all of the couch she chose to perch herself on James’ knee and had unthinkingly reached out to run her fingers his already messy hair. James read intently for the latest news whilst Sirius busied himself entertaining Harry. After a minute or two Sirius raised his head to speak only to find Lily and James no longer paying attention to the paper, but were speaking to each other in a hushed whisper. Sirius watched as James pressed a kiss into Lily’s temple and then made an extravagant retching sound. “Ugh, will you two get a room! We’re trying not to vomit here, right Harry?” he said shielding Harry’s eyes which elicited a giggle from the boy. Lily rolled her eyes and said exasperatedly “We do have room, in fact, we have a whole house. You chose to be here, probably to scrounge a free breakfast.”  
“How dare you,” said Sirius in mock drama, “Come to my friend’s house for free food! I never. I’m here to spend time with my dear godson I’ll have you know.” Lily raised her eyebrows and got off James’ lap making her way to the kitchen but just as she reached the doorway Sirius called her name and said: “But if you’re making food while you’re in there feel free to make me some.” He barely had time to duck from the cushion James had thrown at him. 

The room wasn’t like that now and as he entered the kitchen panic began to set in. The kitchen table was overturned and chairs had been strewn across the room. The glass panelling in the cupboard doors was cracked and bits of glass and broken plates littered the room. Sirius walked further into the room, noting all the chaos but also noting that no one was here. Not in the living room or kitchen, the adjoining dining room looked untouched. Sirius assumed, hoped, that they’d gone out the back door. He started towards it but as he reached the bottom of the stairs he felt something crunch underfoot. James’ wand. It was at the foot of the stairs, snapped in two. Sirius’ heart sank, they wouldn’t get far without a wand. Nervously, he turned his head to look up the staircase. And that’s when he saw a pair of legs, dangling over the top of steps, unmoving. He ran up the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him until he found himself stood looking down on James. He lay there, still and pale. Sirius reached down to check for a pulse, but he knew in his heart it was futile. Dropping to his knees on the landing he broke down. Sobs racked from his chest and warm salty tears ran down his face collecting in a cold pool under his chin. He sat down, his back resting against the wall, placed a hand on James’ torso and closed his eyes allowing despair to consume him. 

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been sat there. How long he had let the tears stream down his face. How long he’d tried to convince himself he was dreaming. But when he opened his eyes he heard crying. Crying that wasn’t him. He looked down the landing towards the room at the end of the hall. The door was blown off it and rubble littered was all over the floor. Slowly, he picked himself up off the floor and made his way towards the room. 

How many times had he walked down this landing? Hundreds of times? Thousands? When he’d babysat he’d always given Harry a bath and then walked down this landing to his room and put him to bed. When he’d wanted to spend some time with the Marauders and he’d waited on this landing outside James’ and Lily’s room threatening to barge in if James wasn’t ready in 5 minutes. Or when he’d helped them move in. When he’d seen his best mate marry the girl of his dreams and buy this house so they could settle down and start a family. He’d helped lug furniture up and down this landing. He’d been here. And now. He was walking down this landing not knowing what he was going to find. 

He reached the doorway. His eyes engulfed the scene. Lied in the middle of the floor, surrounded by rubble and glass was Lily. Behind her, crying away in his cot was Harry. Sirius’ presence seemed to intensify the crying. “Hey,” Sirius cooed. “Hey now, it’s okay. I’m here, Padfoot’s here.” And edging his way past Lily he made his way to the cot and picked up Harry. His tears had stopped now leaving his face cold and wet, but looking into Harry’s eyes brought on a new onslaught. Harry’s eyes that looked so much like Lily’s and his face that was James’ double brought a wave of emotion so strong over Sirius he had to look away. Except now it wasn’t exactly like James. Placed on his forehead was a fresh scar in the shape of a lightning bolt. Holding Harry and gently rocking him Sirius placed his head on top of Harry’s and cried. 

Trying to compose himself reached down to check Lily’s pulse. Nothing. Sadness hit him again but he forced it back. Harry squirmed in his arms reaching out for Lily. Sirius struggled to keep him upright. “Harry. Harry stop. You can’t. She’s...” but he couldn’t finish his sentence. How could he explain to a toddler that his mother couldn’t hold him, that she from now she never would? Instead, he carried Harry out the door and made his way back downstairs, shielding his eyes as he carried him past James. Once downstairs he went to the linen closet where he grabbed a baby blanket throwing it over his shoulder. He left the house carrying Harry, looking back once more for what he thought could be the last time. 

He shut the gate as he left the garden and crossed over to his bike. Harry had settled in Sirius’s arms finding the presence of his godfather soothing. Wrapping Harry in the blanket he gently placed him in the sidecar. “It’s going to be okay Harry, I promise.” A faint pop behind him drew his attention and he whipped around, wand drawn, looking for the danger. An extremely large man had appeared, though he hadn’t notice Sirius’ presence as he was looking at the house in despair. 

Sirius sighed “Hagrid.” Hagrid turned quickly to face him. “Sirius, I-I just heard. Word had got to the order so I came. Dumbledore’s orders.” He stammered, forcing the words out explain everything quickly. “James, Lily, Harry what –“  
“Dead,” Sirius said, but it was barely audible. He swallowed, forcing the lump in his throat down. Hagrid stared at him, his crinkled eyes filling with tears and mouth falling open into an O shape. “He found them,” Hagrid stated, to which Sirius nodded. Hagrid’s cries were deafening. He sobbed loudly, his shaggy head falling forward and shoulders shaking in despair. “J-James and Lily. Oh and poor little Harry. How, How could he find ‘em” he started to ramble now, words becoming inaudible between long racking sobs. Sirius’ head snapped up. “He’s not dead. Harry, he’s not dead. I don’t know what happened, the house is a mess and James and Lily are –“ he steeled himself “gone but not Harry. Whatever curse You Know- Voldemort tried it didn’t work. It rebounded, he’s gone. But not Harry, Hagrid.”

Hagrid looked at him. His breathing faltered and tears glistened on his cheeks in the moonlight. “Not Harry,” Hagrid mouthed disbelievingly. “Where is he?” Hagrid asked.  
“In the sidecar,” Sirius replied.  
“Well, I best take him.”  
“What?” Sirius replied, astonished. “Hagrid what do you mean?”  
“Well, he’ll need somewhere to stay, with his parents gone. And Dumbledore will want to see him.”  
“Who cares?! He should stay with me, I’m his godfather for crying out loud! It’s what they wanted.”  
“Come on now Sirius, you’re hardly in a fit state to care for a child. I’ll take him to Dumbledore and he can decide what’s best for him. They trusted him too you know. Dumbledore will know what’s best, you know he will. Besides we don’t even know how You-Know-Who found him. Better he’s safe, just in case.” At these words, Sirius faltered. His mind started reeling, how had Voldemort found them. How had he found out the location of their house, he would have had to have heard it from the secret keeper himself. Peter. 

White hot rage boiled over in Sirius replacing the sadness that had been consuming him since he got there. How could he? How could Peter betray them like that? The spineless little rat. Rollover as soon as he was forced for information. Or had he been? Did death eaters force the information out of him or did he give it willingly? He didn’t know. He couldn’t think straight. A fog of pain, sadness and anger rolled into his mind preventing a single coherent thought from breaking through. He was pacing, his fists clenched at his side, as Hagrid looked on in confusion. “Take him,” Sirius muttered through gritted teeth. “You’re right, he needs protecting. Take him to Dumbledore.” Hagrid made his way to take Harry out of the car but Sirius put and hand on his arm. “Take my motorbike, it’s easier. Just let me say goodbye.” Hagrid watched sadly as Sirius crouched down near the sidecar, leaning in to place a kiss on Harry’s head. “I’ll be back soon Harry, I promise.” 

With that Sirius stood and wiped tears from his eyes before dropping the keys into Hagrid’s palm and with a small pop Sirius disapparated. Hagrid hulked his gigantic body onto the bike as Harry watched him smiling. He revved the bike before gently taking off and ascending into the dark night sky.


End file.
